Computer chassis can be used in rack systems to hold a variety of computer components and of many different sizes. For example, a single computer chassis can hold multiple sleds, where each sled is sized to hold specific computer components. Conventional computer chassis can hold, for example, a 1U sled, a 2U sled, and/or a 3U sled.
In order to hold sleds of different sizes within one computer chassis, conventional chassis need to be permanently configured with partitions according to the sled size. Partitions provide the structural support for a computer chassis to hold more than one sled. For example, one computer chassis can be configured with three separate, permanent partitions to support three 1U sleds. In another example, one computer chassis can be configured with two separate, permanent partitions to support one 1U sled and one 2U sled. In a third example, one computer chassis can be configured without any partitions to support one 3U sled. The configuration of permanent partitions in a computer chassis prevent the same computer chassis from holding sleds of a first size and then sleds of a second size.
For example, a 2U sled is about twice as large as a 1U sled, and a 3U sled is about three times as large as a 1U sled. Therefore, a computer chassis which is configured to hold three 1U sleds can never receive either a 2U sled or a 3U sled. In a similar problem, a computer chassis which is configured to hold a single 3U sled can never hold three 1U sleds, because such a computer chassis does not have partitions to support the separation for each of the three 1U sleds.
These chassis designs force users to maintain a large variety of chassis bodies, configured to support every combination of sled sizes. If a single sled needs to be switched out with another sled of a different size, the entire computer chassis needs to be replaced. This results in high costs because all possible chassis sizes must be supported. This also results in additional burdens because any size change in the installed equipment necessitates replacing the entire computer chassis.
Therefore, what is needed is a computer chassis design that does not require switching out the entire chassis when replacing a first sled with a second sled of a different size.